With a firm grip on the independent contractor consumer base, Home Depot hoped to expand their influence on the DIY market which Lowes had so successfully captured. Instead of copying Lowes' formula, Colton found opportunities to expand services that Home Depot already offered and made them more visible to the store's lay customers. Colton recommended dividing the customer touchpoints, pushing contractors to backstage service and DIY hopefuls to front-stage services. Home Depot would then refer DIY users with complex projects to their vetted contractors.